Reviews with content warning for Murder - Convenience Store Woman

She’s far happier thinking her sister is normal, even if she has a lot of problems, than she is having an abnormal sister for whom everything is fine. For her, normality—however messy—is far more comprehensible.

you should read this book if...

you're looking for (nonexplicit but very likely) autism + asexuality rep
you don't mind social commentary that's a bit repetitive sometimes, but still effective

the good

positive representation of someone on the spectrum and most likely also asexual. at no point is the main character put down by the narrative itself for the way she is — it’s only the people around her who can’t understand her behavior and who treat her like an outcast for it.
interesting and relevant questioning of our capitalist society’s obsession with fulfilling specific social roles and achieving specific goals in life. the ending
reinforces the idea that you don’t need to live strictly by society’s rules and expectations to be happy.

the bad

shiraha 💩
jokes aside, i understand the point of the ending being that
keiko is going to live her life according to her own rules again and that that’s a good thing, and i agree, but i do wonder if it would’ve been even better for her to have also found something she enjoys aside from being a konbini employee. i’m undiagnosed but likely on the spectrum myself and i’m definitely happier having multiple things to live for, but i know it differs for each person. the real message here is that you shouldn’t butt into people’s lives if they’re happy with the way they’re living, unless they’re actively harming themselves or others. in this respect the main character was actually more functional in every single way while working at the store. she kept herself healthily fed, clean, groomed and happy for the sake of her job, all of which fell apart into apathy and depression after she quit. for her there was no benefit to being more “normal” — much the opposite.

the complicated

the book could’ve gone a little further and been more explicit in its themes, especially in regards to the main character’s autism and asexuality. at the same time though i feel like leaving it undefined while at the same time being extremely clear in its presence is preferable to spelling everything out minutely. anyone who knows anything about being on the spectrum and queer will be able to tell what the writer’s trying to say regardless. these days i tend to prefer when things aren’t spelled out like a nonfiction social justice related book attempting to educate me on something (if i want that kind of thing i just look for those instead), and rather just happen naturally and organically to the characters instead. but that’s just me, so i think it’s relevant to mention it here.

Content Warnings

hannibanani29's review against another edition

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lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

sooka's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

i felt boredom in some parts of the text, like i get it you're a virgo who loves working—

Content Warnings

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